Town boss Kieran McKenna has confirmed that discussions are continuing regarding the loan signing of Chelsea striker Armando Broja.

The 22-year-old was allowed to set to sign for the Blues on a loan deal which would become a £30 million permanent deal next summer if Town stay up.

However, an achilles issue emerged in his medical and the clubs have continued to discuss the details of the move, with the Blues presumably looking to mitigate any risk.

Regardless of any long-term issues, the injury is expected to keep the Albanian international out of action for around seven weeks.

It’s understood Chelsea are now giving him a scan to assess for themselves the extent of the problem.

The deal remains up in the air as it stands and the figures involved could change as a result of the continuing negotiations and the West Londoners’ thinking following the scan.

Town boss Kieran McKenna confirmed that talks are still ongoing between the parties, while keeping tight-lipped regarding Chiedozie Ogbene, who we understand it’s hoped will sign in time to be involved in the Carabao Cup tie at Wimbledon tomorrow.

“With Armando, it’s a player we’ve spoken to, I think that’s pretty well known, there are discussions going on with Chelsea at the moment. I’ve not been privy to them over the last 24 hours,” he said at his morning press conference.

“There are discussions ongoing and we’ll see if it’s the right thing for the clubs and the player before Friday.

“Other than that, it’s not right to speak on any other rumours until anything is confirmed.”

Asked to confirm the issue relates to the medical, McKenna added: “I think that’s not right for me to comment on. That’s between the player, first and foremost, and the clubs and there’s discussions ongoing and we’ll see what the resolution is by Friday.”

Photo: Nderim Kaceli/IPA Sport / ipa-agency.net/IPA/Sipa USA

trncbluearmy added 10:37 - Aug 27 Seven weeks! We ain't got seven weeks to pixx around with Drop it back burner until January window Get someone in who can play immediately Some common sense needed here.
18

DocMartyn added 10:41 - Aug 27 Loving KM's respectful attitude towards both the player and Chelsea. Class act, as always.
15

Reality_2021 added 10:42 - Aug 27 This move is coming across as very risky. Out for 7 weeks - can we wait that long. Seems injury prone and not played a lot of football. The main concern is that he could have a mediocre season and we have to fork out £30m if we stay up. I am not sure about this deal personally and think we should move on. His record doesn’t scream that he is worth the risk to be fair.

15

BobbyBell added 10:43 - Aug 27 I'm no medical expert but the work Achilles has me worried. That a very painful and sore tendon to injury. Can it ever be fully healed and 100% strong again?
2

cooper4england added 10:46 - Aug 27 There is another way of looking at this. No doubt he is a quality player with a lot of untapped talent. Chelsea are desperate to offload players. If we renegotiate during the last week of the transfer window likely we are holding all the cards. Chelski may fold and we grab a bargain. Risky but could pay off.
0

ArnieM added 10:49 - Aug 27 Yoj ha d you ask the question why a 22yr old has a degenerative achilles tendinopathy? They are treatable but ivbhes had ig a ehikd it'll be like Clarke, a possible surgical interruption followed by a few months of rehabilitation
1

cressi added 10:52 - Aug 27 Dear oh dear club need to forget this Jan unless they do some deal sort of deal where it costs no money ie loan deal until Jan minimum. Personally I would be looking elsewhere someone ready to play when needed.
3

1960H added 10:57 - Aug 27 Not sure about this one at all, having ruptured my Achilles a few years ago I was in plaster for eight weeks followed by another eight weeks in a boot, took me nine months to get back to fitness and I was told I made a quick and good recovery
2

PortmanTerrorist added 11:02 - Aug 27 Not privy suggests we want him but just need to work out a deal.....Chelsea will need to swallow something to make it happen. Bit worried as we need someone to back up Delap now, whilst Hirst is out, unless Hirst is going to be back and available after the International break, which I think is possible.....not that they would let on based on last season! 1 more striker like Broja and we will be about sorted when we do add Ogbene as cover for Burns....though I still prefer Omari out wide with Sammy and Chappers more centrally as that gives us most goals in the team. Cannot fault the Club on signings and now we need for McKenna to gel them and start picking up points. Losing at home to Fulham would not be disaster as I think we will only really gel and get going after the Break, but a point or 3 would be awesome ! COYB

1

ArnieM added 11:04 - Aug 27 8 weeks, really? How times and interventions have changed. I was in plaster for 3 months non weight bearing are surgery.
1

Crawfordsboot added 11:08 - Aug 27 Calm down guys. The point is that Town have identified something that might possibly be an issue. As a result they will be carrying out due diligence and will make sure to have some sort of insurance in place to cover risk. There is absolutely no way they, or the insurers, will leave themselves open to having to pay £30 mill for an injured player. On the positive note we might be more likely to secure the player on a better deal than originally envisaged.

0

Karlosfandangal added 11:12 - Aug 27 I have said in many posts really not sure about this. The Greek lad was £25 million and said it looked out of Towns reach now we are looking at £30 million for a player who won’t be match fit till December. Delap has got to keep fit and start putt them away hopefully we will have Hurst back but if not we do have Freddie…….think that’s about it up top
0

scooby added 11:13 - Aug 27 Players with injury records are not worth having. No point in paying someone who doesn't seem to be available very often. Not to mention the fact that hurst will likely be fit before him
0

VanDusen added 11:14 - Aug 27 A Chelsea season ticket holder mate of mine reckons he's somewhat iffy. Certainly tying ourselves into a potential £30m signing of someone who may be duff, and whose attitude to joining us hasn't exactly been ecstatic like Szmodics, O'Shea, or Clarke means I'd say bin him off and let's get in someone who cares...
2

Juggsy added 11:25 - Aug 27 Ruptured my achilles 6 years ago and the leg function never came back fully. Obviously he has a better care regime than mine where the NHS assured me it was perfectly normal to not regain any push on the injured side and sent me on my way.
0

blues1 added 11:28 - Aug 27 Vandusen herezwe go, a chelsea fan mate of urs? Seems every player we tey to sign, some1 knows a fan of the club we're buying from. Bo disrespect but I'll take my knowledge from the people who onow, namely mckenna, etc.
1

VanDusen added 11:37 - Aug 27 @blues1 - if it was an armchair fan I'd agree with you, but he's been going regularly for over 30 years. If someone asked me about Brandon Williams for instance I think I could confidently tell what a waste of space he is and don't touch him with a bargepole. Agreed we fans don't know anything about what goes on behind the scenes, but we also see things that professionals sometimes don't see precisely because they're too close, like consistency on the field, attitude to fans etc. Incidentally I had a bad feeling about Williams this time last year and he turned out to be the only real duff signing McKenna has made. I hope I'm wrong, but everything about this one feels a bit awry and don't want to upset the apple cart when every other signing feels like it's been really good recruitment...

1

chepstowblue added 11:37 - Aug 27 Is it six or nine points that we'll be deducted ?!!
0

hadleighboyblue added 11:39 - Aug 27 Surely best to duck this one now , let him get match fit at Chelsea's expense and revisit in January if he proves his fitness. No way we should be gambling when the cost is so high .
3

Theipswich added 11:41 - Aug 27 Chelsea mate of mine says he's nothing special...tends to run but leave the ball behind....
0

blues1 added 11:44 - Aug 27 1960H . Well yer, bcse ur not a professional footballer with all the medical care they get to recover from such injuries.
0

BlueySwede added 11:44 - Aug 27 Personally I would have moved on to another target, but I understand that it is not that simple. The type of profile and characters that McKenna is looking for might not be available, or out of our budget. I am amazed by our summer business, but if there is one small criticism, it´s that many deals have happened quite late, as Kieran himself has said. Players like Clarke, Phillips and Cajuste will give us a lift, for sure, but McKenna is a fan of integrating players slowly in to the mix, do we have the time to do that?

0

blues1 added 11:46 - Aug 27 ArnieM. Nowhere does it say he has a degenerative chillest tendonopathy. Just an achilles issue.
1

blues1 added 11:46 - Aug 27 ArnieM. Nowhere does it say he has a degenerative chillest tendonopathy. Just an achilles issue.
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Monkey_Blue added 11:47 - Aug 27 Can we stop taking our viewpoints from Chelsea fans? I don’t care how long they’ve been watching Chelsea, they are fans, no professionals. Let’s sack McKenna and have signings, tactics and all other football related decisions made by some blokes in a pub…
2

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